The Hidden Lives of Mall Apartment Artists: Where Are They Now?
Michael Townsend in ‘Secret Mall Apartment’.
Credit :
Netflix (2)
Key Details
- Secret Mall Apartment chronicles the experience of eight artists living inside a mall for four years
- The documentary, which premiered on Netflix in January 2026, features interviews with all eight artists
- The artists discuss their motivations for moving into the mall and the logistics of their unconventional living arrangement
The documentary Secret Mall Apartment provides an insider look at the unique story of an apartment secretly constructed within a shopping mall. Released on January 23, 2026, the film revisits the artists who created a hidden living space inside the Providence Place mall in Rhode Island, where they resided intermittently for four years, from 2003 to 2007.
Led by artists Michael Townsend and Adriana Valdez-Young, the group devised their plan after developers demolished their nearby artist commune. Their hidden apartment served not only as a residence but also as a collective space for art projects and a statement against gentrification.
Their secretive lifestyle came to an end in 2007 when mall security discovered the apartment. Townsend was arrested and initially charged with breaking and entering, a charge which was later downgraded to trespassing. He received a lifetime ban from the mall.
After years of silence, the artists reunited to share their story in Secret Mall Apartment. “This is an insane climb up the cultural ladder — from absolute obscurity to something where so many people have at least the option of seeing it,” Townsend stated in an interview with Boston.com in January 2026.
Here’s a closer look at the eight artists featured in the documentary.
Who Are the Artists Behind Secret Mall Apartment?
Andrew in ‘Secret Mall Apartment’.
Netflix
In 2003, the eight artists began residing in a 750-square-foot space within the Providence Place mall. Townsend and Valdez-Young led the group, which included Colin Bliss, Andrew Oesch, Greta Scheing, James Mercer, Emily Ustach, and Jay Zehngebot.
Many of them formerly lived and created work at Fort Thunder, a warehouse artist commune that faced demolition.
Motivations for Living in the Mall
‘Secret Mall Apartment’.
Netflix
After being displaced from Fort Thunder, Townsend conceived the idea of crafting a hidden “apartment” within the mall, utilizing an overlooked space beneath the movie theater. “I identified a space that didn’t fit into my calculus of usefulness,” Townsend recounted, explaining how he and Valdez-Young stumbled upon the empty nook.
The artists aimed to create a collaborative space while also making a statement regarding capitalism. “We began sleeping at the mall because we lost our homes in Eagle Square,” Townsend articulated. “There was an oasis of happiness being sold to us by the mall, and we wanted to swim in it.”
To obscure the apartment from the mall, they erected a cinderblock wall and furnished their haven with items such as a couch, a PlayStation, and a TV, while they drew electricity from the mall’s power supply. Lacking running water, they utilized the public restrooms instead. The group documented their experience with a small camera purchased from Radio Shack.
“The archival footage is just incredible,” said Secret Mall Apartment director Jeremy Workman, praising the ingenuity of their documentation efforts.
Discovery of the Secret Apartment
The mall in ‘Secret Mall Apartment’.
Netflix
The artists believed their secret would remain undetected, planning to stay for just a week. Instead, they lived there for four years before their discovery in 2007. Townsend was apprehended after inviting an artist from Hong Kong, triggering mall security to uncover the apartment.
“From day one, we assumed we were going to be caught,” Townsend recalled, expressing a sense of relief upon finally being discovered. “I broke the one rule, which was: Do not bring anybody who’s not part of the core eight into that space.”
Regrettably for the artists, Townsend noted, they were discovered just days before completing significant renovations, reflecting, “It still haunts me.” He believed if they had escaped detection just a little longer, they could have transitioned to living there full-time.
“We wanted to go into the mall and never leave, and see where it took us,” he said. “It was a mix of performance art and self-exploration.”
Aftermath and Arrests
‘Secret Mall Apartment’.
Netflix
Townsend’s arrest led to a charge of breaking and entering, later updated to trespassing. He accepted a plea deal, ultimately serving six months probation after the incident. His lifetime ban from the mall was also part of the consequences.
Workman, the film’s director, noted the ambiguity surrounding the mall’s decision not to escalate the matter further, suggesting that mall officials felt embarrassed that residents had been living unnoticed beneath their noses.
Current Status of the Artists
Emily Ustach in ‘Secret Mall Apartment’ ; James Mercer in ‘Secret Mall Apartment’.
Netflix (2)
For the first time in nearly two decades, all eight artists came together to recount their experiences in the documentary Secret Mall Apartment, which recently premiered on Netflix.
Townsend revealed that he had turned down multiple film offers until director Jeremy Workman included the other artists in his proposal. “I’m not doing anything unless the other seven artists all say yes,” Townsend insisted to Boston.com.
Since their time in the mall, many of the artists have continued their work in the creative fields. Townsend remains active as a tape artist, collaborating with his partner Leah on artistic projects nationwide. His ban from the mall was lifted following the documentary’s premiere in March 2025.
Likewise, other former residents—Bliss, Oesch, Scheing, Mercer, and Ustach—have pursued careers as artists and art educators in Providence. Zehngebot now works as an artist in Brooklyn, New York, while Valdez-Young contributes as a design researcher and educator, currently residing in the Bronx.
